A REVIEW — Tabletop Inc.
Initial Thoughts
When this game initially launched on Gamefound, it was called “Meeple Inc.” Unbeknownst to probably 99% of gamers, the word “meeple” had been trademarked in 2019 by Hans im Glück of Carcassone fame. Hans decided to flex his trademark muscles at a small, independent board game company, sending them a cease and desist letter to change not only their newest game, but also the name of their company (formerly Cogito ergo Meeple). For a full backstory, check out the incredibly well-researched video from Pam Walls Game Design.
Needless to say, as a business named Village Meeple, we got a little up in arms about the thought of other small businesses getting bullied around by the bigger fish, all over a word that is commonly used by ALL OF US. So, it became an automatic back for us to add the game to both the Game Library and the Shop.
Game Play
Tabletop Inc is for 1-6 players, and plays in about 20 minutes per player. You choose your board game publishing company from a series of punny nods to real game publishers (ie Asmodeus….Asmodee, GMON….CMON). Your company comes with a board game table, a founder card to sit at your table, a card easel (because reasons? I genuinely don’t see the purpose for this), Corporation cards and prediction cards for betting, and four “muman tokens” (I hated writing that immediately. They aren’t legally allowed to call them meeples, but I sure will. Meeples meeples meeples.)
If they have a hexagon head, it’s totally not a Meeple! *wink
The game board is two sided, not for player count, but more for aesthetics. One side is busy AF, but it has spaces for all cards and components. The other side is more streamline, but some cards and boxes are stored off the box. To each their own!
The hour glass goes on the score tracker space that has the appropriate player count. This effectively is your countdown clock until game end. Each time someone retrieves their workers (MEEPLE or specialists), the hour glass advances counterclockwise towards the start, one space for each worker you retrieve. Slide past a bonus space and get that bonus too. When the hour glass reaches 0, the end is triggered.
Throughout the game, your board game company will seek to grow by hiring staff, creating board games, and submitting them for awards. Here is a quick breakdown of the available action spaces:
Hire Specialist: This allows you to gain an additional person at the table as well as an additional worker to place on action spaces. The also have a unique skill that fires when they go to certain action spaces. It is your people at the table who create your games, and you must have the right expertise to create certain levels.
Hire Freelancer: Similar to the specialist, but they don’t have an additional worker for you to utilize. They will beef up your table stats, as well as give you end-game points.
Upgrade: If your company stats only allows you to make a level 2 mechanism, this space allows you to bump it up to a level 3.
Items: Instant bonuses.
Research/Playtest: Gain resources.
Play Card: Play either your Specialist or Freelancer Card.
Skill Card: Train your workers to enhance their stats.
Gain a Box: take the bottom of a board game box that matches your stats.
Gain Component/Mechanism: Gain the tile that matches your stats.
Publish: Put a lid on that complete game.
Gain Award: If it matches the awards card you were dealt, add it to the shelf and snag that award.
Objectives: More ways to gain points, but watch out! If you don’t complete it, you lose points.
Pros
THE COMPONENTS! You guys!! Look at these tiny little board game boxes? And you put them on a board game table that your workers sit around? And then you put them on a little baby Kallax shelf? I died.
This is one of the few games I’ve played where the theme was crucial to me liking the game. If you switch the theme to something else, like cars or computers or something like that, I am 50% less interested in it. It’s just worker placement at that point. But, becoming a board game company that’s trying to hire talented people, create great games, and get them some award spotlights? I’m HERE for that!
I love that the available worker spaces provide an added bonus. And I love that there are more available spots to use that action, even if they do cost. It keeps the game more accessible, instead of just waiting around for that other jerk to finally move. There are usually several options of moves, thanks to you being able to hire more staff.
The board game “clock” or end-game trigger is unique too. It felt like we had a little bit of control over it (even if that was just an illusion).
The rulebook is solid. I had a good grasp of the game and few questions when I started playing (a rarity in this day and age. God, I sound old).
Cons
By striving to be language independent, Tabletop Inc is a symbol-filled splatter painting. It definitely takes some getting used to. A helpful BGG file sharer added this printable player aid to help act as your map in this board game world.
As a board game cafe, I am curious to see how well these components hold up with multiple uses. Itty Bitty Board Games will show wear and tear just like the big ones.
